Pleasure-railway



H. E. RIEHL.

PLEASURE RAILWAY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, I92I.

1,899,577. Patenbed Dec 6, 1921..

5 SHEETS-*SHEET I.

IIVVENTOR ME. E/EHL ATTORNEYS WITNESSES I H. E. RIEHL.

PLEASURE RAILWAY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,192!- Patented 1m 6, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2'- INVENTOI? HENRY E P/EHL I A TTORIVEYS H. E. RIEHL.

PLEASURE RAILWAY. APPLICATION mu) JULY 28.1921.

1,399,577. Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ATTORNEYS H. E. RIEHL. PLEASURE RAILWAY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 213M921".

Patented Dec, 6, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

70 I INVENTOR WITNESS HEN Y E EIEHL W. ATTORNEYS H. EIRIEHL.

PLEASURE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,1921.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921..

0 Y L M 5 r 0 u v: m E 7 H A m E m E 5 5 WITNESSES %%@M it UNITED sr To all whom it may concern:

HENRY n. BIBLE-IL, or nnoonnvn, new roan.

PLEASURE-RAILWAY.

Be it known that I, HENRY Emma Bani-1L, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and In:- proved Pleasure-Railway, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description. a a

The invention relates to amusement apparatus such as shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States, No. 872,253, granted to me on November 26, 1907. a j l The object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved pleasure railway for use in pleasure resorts, parks, exhibition grounds and the like, and arranged to provide along and interestingride and to take up comparatively little space.

Another object is to insure safe traveling over, a the course. i

Another object is to prevent the cars from jumping the track. l

Another object is to provide for the safety of, the passengers even should the car tru k become disconnected from the car body con taining the passengers. a

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims. a a

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming apart ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved pleasure railway;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the track and one of the cars thereon, parts being shown broken out; a Fig. 4: is an enlarged cross section of the track on the line 4l lof Fig. 5 and showing one of the cars in position 011 the track;

a Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same with the car body of the car removed;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a car truck with parts shown in section; Fig. 7 is a cross section of the sameon Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, i921. 1921. Serial No. aeaoae.

the line 7 7 of Fig. 6 and with the car body inposition on the truck;

Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation of the track and car, the section being on the line 88 of Fig. 5; and

Fig 9 is a cross section of the forward portion of the truck on the line 9--9 of On a suitably constructed framework is mounted a single continuous track having a station portion 21 extending transversely adjacent a platform 22 provided with a railing 23 to divide the platform into an embarkation portion 24: and a disembarkation portion 25. A suitable booth 26 for the sale of tickets is arranged adjacent the em barkation side of the platform 22. Passengers intending to take a ride step from the embarkation side 2+1 of the platform 22 into a car 30 held at the time on the embarkation portion ofthe station track 21, and the passengers in a car, on the return of the latter, disembark at the disembarkation side of the platform 22. The embarkation side of the station track 21 leads to the lower end of an up-track35 provided with an endless propelling chain 36 for propelling a loaded' car up the track 35. The endless propelling chain 86 is driven by the usualdriving mechanism from a motor, but as this arrangementis well known further description of the-same is not deemed necessary.

The upper'end of the rip-track leads to the upper end of a clown-track comprising three distinct sections to, 4:1 and 42, of which the section 40 is in the form of a series of compound curves and preferably attached to a platform 43 forming part of the framework 20. The down-track section 41 is in the form of a vertically disposed spiral, of which the first portion 4-8 is inclined downwardly, the second portion 4a is inclined upwardly, the third portion a5 is inclined downwardly, and the last or terminal portion (i6 inclined upwardly and leads to the upper end of the diagonal section 4-2. It will be noticed that this diagonal section 1-2 extends from the front toward the rear and merges with the home stretch leading to the embarkation portion of the station track, 21. It will be noticed that the up track 35 is on one side ofthe pleasure railup the up-track 35 and finally the said chain way while the home stretch 50 is on the ingly long and continuous track is provided in a comparatively small space.

Passengers desiring to enjoy a ride in the car 30 embark at the embarkation side 24 of the "station 22 and the car thus filled with passengers is pushed by an attendant to the bottom of the up-track 35 o that the endless I chain 36 engages the car 30, as hereinafter more fully described, and pushes the same 36 disengages the 'car 30 when reaching the summlt and the car now; runs by its own gravity down over the downtrack formed of the sections 40, 41 and 42 to finally travel down the home stretch back onto the station track 21 at the disembarkation side 25 of the platform 22 to allow the passengers to disembark from the car except those who desire to enjoy a second ride. This car is now pushed to the entrance side of the station and the above described operation is I then repeated.

Construction of the track.

- On longitudinally extending pairs of bars rest ties 61'preferably arranged in pairs spaced suitable distances apart, as plainly indicated in Figs. 3 and 8. Between each pair of ties 61 and resting on. the corresponding bars 60 are arranged uprights 62 fastenedto the ties 61 by bolts 63 or other fastening devices. I A brace 64 extends with its lower end between the outer ends of a pair of'ties 61 and is fastened thereto'by bolts 65, and the upper end of this brace engages and braces the upper end of the corresponding upright'62. The'inner sides of the upright '62 are provided with notches 66 into which'fit longitudinal beams 67 connecting the uprights 62 at each side of the trackwith each other. A top beam 68 is fastened to the tops of the uprights 62 on each side of the track to render the latter exceedingly strong and durable. On the ties 61 are spaced longitudinally extending sleepers 69 supporting track rails 7 0 for the car wheels 71' of'acar 30 to travel on. Guard rails 72 are attached to longitudinal plates 73 fas- Construction of the cm.

The car consists essentially of a car truck and a car body 81 mounted to rotate on the car truck 80. The car truck 80 is provided with a truck frame, preferably made of channel. irons 82 on which is bolted or riveted a top plate 83 to give the desired rigidity to the truck frame. The car wheels 71 are journaled on the ends of square axles S4 abutting against the under side of the side channel irons 82 of the truck frame, and the said axles are fastened by angle irons S5 to the channel irons. thus securely holding the axles in place on the truck frame at the same time reinforcing the latter by the axles. The guard wheels 75 are journaled in transverse frames 86 (see F 9), bolted or otherwise fastened to the side channel irons 82, and the said guard wheels 75 and their frames 86 are preferably arranged in front of the front and rear car wheels 71. The plate 83 of the truck frame is rovided with an integral centrally disposed hub 90 provided with diagonal ribs 91 terminating in angular brackets 92 riveted, bolted or otherwise fastened. to the channel irons 82 at the inner faces thereof, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 6. An annular rib 93 connects the diagonal ribs 91 with each other to reinforce the plate 83. The hub 90 is engaged by a vertically disposed pivot pin or king bolt 95 held in a hub 96 forming part of the bottom 97 of the car body 81 to allow the car body to turn on the truck frame 80. The top plate 83 of the truck frame 80 is provided at the hub 90 with an annular groove 100 and a similar annular groove 10! is formedv in the upper face of the top plate 83 and is arranged eoncentric with the annular groove 100. and the center of the said concentric grooves 100 and 1.01 is arranged to coincide with the axis of the pivot 95. The grooves 100 and. 101 are engaged by flllllllltll'iOllgllBS 102 and 103 of which the tongue 102 is formed on the bottom of the hub 96 while the tongue 103 is formed on the outer portion of the bottom 97. It will be noticed that by this arrangement the car bodv 81 is free to rotate on the car truck 80 and at the same time the desired stability is given to the car body 81 particularly should the same be unevenly filled with passengers to prevent rocking of the car body owing to the tongue and groove connection 100. 101. 102 and 103.

The car body 81 of the var 80 is preferably of cylindrical shape and is provided with an 'annular scalloped guard 110, and. this guard projects beyond the top beam 68 and is a short distance above the same, and hencein case a truck 80 should become accidentally disconnected from the car body then thesaid guard 'lltl can drop onto the connecting top beam 68 and slide along the same without endangering in any shape or form the lives of the-passengers in such car body atthe time.

In order to connect the truck 80 of the car 1. 30 with the endless propelling; chain 36, the

following' arrangement is made On the rear of the truck 80 is arranged a transverse plate 120 provided at'the sides with two forwardly extending rods 121 mounted to slide inthe truck frame 82. Springs 122 are coiled on the forward portions of the'rods 121 and rest at their rear ends on, collars 123 secured or formed on the rods 121 and abutting; with their forward ends on a transverse plate 124, rigidly secured to and forming part of the plate 83 of the truck frame. A similar rod 125 extends forwardly from the middle of the plate 120 and a spring 126 is coiled on this rod and abuts with its rear end on a collar 127 attached to or forming part of this rod 125. The forward end of the spring; 126 abuts against a plate 12'? attached to the frame 86 carrying the rear guard wheels 7 5, as plainly shown in Figs. 6 and 8. On the rear face of the plate 120 is pivoted. at 130 the upper end of a depending dog lll adapted to drop into any one of the links of the endless controlling chain 36, and hence when the dog 131 is engaged with this chain the car is propelled up the up-track $35, and when the upper end of the chain 36 is reached at the summit of the up-track 35 then the car passes onto the down-track and the dog 131 passes out of engagement with the chain 36 which at the summit passes around its usual. guide wheel 132 (see Fig. 2). It is understood that bythe arrangeinent described acyielding support for the dog 131 is provided by the use of the springpressed rods 121 and 125- and hence sudden jars and shocks are prevented at the time the car couples itself to the endless propelling chain 36 at the lower end of the uptrack 35, or disengages the chain 36 at the upper end. of the rip-track 35.

It is understood that the car body of a car readily turns on its car truck particularly during the downward travel. of the car on the down-track owing to the usually unequal distribution of thepassengers in the car and their varying height, and when the car passes over the rounded-oil. ends of the compound curve section of the down-track and the special formation of the spiral. Thus no extra devices are required for insuring a rotation of the car body on the car truck during the travel of the car over the downtrack.

It will also be noticed that a long ride is and a diagonal portion, and a home stretch leading from the said diagonal portion to the other end of the said station section;

In a pleasure railway, 'a continuous track comprising a transverse station section at one end and having an embarking and a disembarking portion, an up-track inclined upwardly from the outer end of the said embarking portion and extending along one side, a down-track leading from the upper end of the up-track and having a zigzag portion, a vertically disposed spiral portion connected with the zigzag portion, and a diagonal portion leading from the zigzag portion and a home stretch connected with the diagonal portion and extending along the other side and leading to the disembarking portion.

3. In a pleasure railway, a continuous track comprising a station section, an uptrack inclined upwardly from one end of the station section, a down-track connected. with the said tip-track and formed of a series of compound curves, a vertical spiral. section and a diagonalportion, a portion of the said spiral section being" inclined upwardly, and a home stretch leading from the said diagonal portion to the other end of the said station section.

41. In apleasure railway, a track com prising ties, spaced uprights attached to the said ties and provided with notches at their inner faces, outside braces connecting the uprights with the said ties, track rails mounted on the said ties adjacent the inner sides of the said uprights, longitudinally extending side beams fitting into the said notches of the uprights, transverse arms attached to the said uprights, and guard rails attached to the said arms and parallel with and a distance above the said track rails.

5. In a pleasure railway, a track comprising ties, spaced iuprights attached to the said ties and provided with notches at their inner faces, outside braces connecting the uprights with the said ties, track rails mounted on the said ties adjacent the inner sides of the said uprights, longitudinally extendinnside beams fitting into the said notches of the uprights, and longitudinally extendingi'top beamsattaohed to-the tops of the said uprights; together with a ear truck adapted to travel on said rails, and a separate car body mounted on said truck, said car body having a guard thereon extending laterally to lie above and in the vertical plane of said longitudinal top beams and adapted to slide on-said beams should the car body and said truck become separated and the'car body thereby drop.

6'. In a pleasure railway, a track struciture track rails thereon, said structure havinga longitudinal guardat the sides of the truck following'the lines of said rail, said guards being elevated above said rails; in combination With a car truck adapted to travel on said rails, and a separate car body mounted on said truck and provided With a guard extending laterally into the vertical planes of said longitudinal guards to travel along the same should the car body and truck become separated and the car body thereby drop.

7. In a pleasure railway, a track structure, track rails thereon, said structure having longitudinal guards at the sides of the track and following the lines of said rails, said guards being elevated above the rails; in combination with a ear truck adapted to travel on said rails, and a separate car body turnably mounted on said true: and provided'with an annular guard disposed continuously about said body and extending laterally into the vertical planes of said longitudinal guards and. adapted to have slidin; engagement with said longitudinal guards to travel along the same, should the car body and truck become separated and the car body drop.

HENRYE. RIEHL. 

